Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote 120 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
children pride dust
The tyrant is a child of Pride Who drinks from his sickening cup Recklessness and vanity, Until from his high crest headlong He plummets to the dust of hope.
children pride tyrants
The tyrant is a child of pride.
pride proud tongue
Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue.
wisdom pride men
Man's highest blessedness, In wisdom chiefly stands; And in the things that touch upon the Gods, 'Tis best in word or deed To shun unholy pride; Great words of boasting bring great punishments, And so to grey-haired age Teach wisdom at the last.
pride boys doors
When ice appears out of doors, and boys seize it up while it is solid, at first they experience new pleasures. But in the end their pride will not agree to let it go, but their acquisition is not good for them if it stays in their hands. In the same way an identical desire drives lovers to act and not to act.
mistake pride men
All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.
cheating fail honor prefer win
I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating
brevity goes greek-poet wisdom
Much wisdom often goes with brevity of speech.
certainty learns though until
One learns by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try
bad brings loves messenger news none
None loves the messenger who brings bad news.
crosses driven none path power stormy threaten white wonderful wonders
Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than the power that crosses the white sea, driven by the stormy wind, making a path under surges that threaten to engulf him...
dreadful greek-poet knowledge truth
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.
death wants
For death is not the worst, but when one wants to die and is not able even to have that.
shalt
If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: 'Thou shalt not ration justice.'